in LUTTERWORTH
testimonials for chinmayi and the retreat
feedback from yoga students -2010/11
feedback from retreat visits/yoga studentsMANY THANKS to you Myron, Leonie and everyone else for running such a great place and generating such a relaxed atmosphere (and putting up with my interference in the kitchen). I trust Myron got his work submitted in time.
I learned a lot about yoga (and unlearned some stuff too!) and had a very 'chilled' time. It certainly helped my ashtanga - my forward folds (NB not bends) were really improved at my first class after the break.
Hope the 'five tibetans' is working for you - I haven't been doing them but have been incorporating some of the akhanda sun salutations into my practice (since there aren't that many backbends in the ashtanga primary series).
Could you pass on my best wishes to the yoga teacher trainees? - they were great company and really seemed to 'gel' as a group. Hope all goes well with the course and I look forward to finding out that they've passed next year.
Keep me on the mailing list for any stuff you do in future - especially for the Spanish plans.
'Shanti' to all the household. Namaste - Gareth
Thank you for a wonderful class, I have learned so much in those few month and found the combination of asanas and meditative practice very refreshing and energizing.
You are such an inspirational teacher Julie and I feel lucky that I had the chance to practise yoga with you.
Dear Julie, Kailash and of course the soux chef Myron,
I just wanted to say what a fabulous evening I thought last Friday was. Brilliantly organised and orchestrated, I loved the evening and especially the company and food. It was lovely to meet Leonie.
Well done for your considerable efforts and thank you very much.
Look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Very best wishes,
Just to say thank you for the wonderful meditation after Monday evening's class. I found it very beneficial, with sweet dreams and lovely thoughts, and it's helping with my daily practice too. Could you tell me what the Sanskrit name for it is please - of course I couldn't remember it when I got home!
Yoga just gets better and better!
Om shanti,
You so deserve to make a success of your venture. I much enjoyed your dawn yoga class and found you helpful, knowledgeable and engaging! I hope to be able to attend a workshop soon.
Kind Regards and Good Luck
Thank you so much Julie Chinmayi for a wonderful experience. I am so glad I chose to attend and feel my week has been blessed as a result, the warmth and friendship shown by you, Myron, Pam and Jackie has been worth all the early mornings!! Looking forward to doing it again sometime soon, much love to you all.
Brilliant, perfect and very welcoming. I felt comfortable asking questions, Chinmayi is very approachable
I learned breathing and meditation way on how to perform
A serene, welcoming relaxing retreat - fantastic food and company. I will visit again!
the retreat is beautiful, both in it's aesthetics and feel
nice and peaceful
the food was hearty, healthy and yummy!
welcome and pick-up from the station was appreciated a lot, organised activities were great ; enjoyable and beneficial to my yoga practice and learning
the atmosphere and energy was peaceful, welcoming and relaxing
julie was wonderful :-) she encouraged me to listen to my body to know it's limits but also helped me to go a bit further with my practice and develop my asanas and meditation
I gained an understanding of yoga in it's entirety (rather than just asanas) and the tools to work at home (which I think is very important) also the confidence and motivation to continue and increase my practice in australia
there was a great variety of activities and education (within the yoga practice) which was great i.e. learning about the mantras, kriyas - all sorts
I really enjoyed my time there - I never felt stressed or unwelcome and I really felt part of the family!
feedback from weekly class students...
Just to say I really enjoyed the Kundalini class yesterday; it brought together all the chakra work we have been practising over the past 7 weeks. The sound vibrations caused by the collective chanting were very effective I thought.
Thanks again for providing such a lovely experience every week - whatever my own capacity to partake, it is always a pleasure to attend your class and leave the real world behind for 90 minutes or so.
What a lovely, uplifting email - as always, the impact of the Thursday yoga class extends right throughout the intervening week for me, and as a result, you were on my mind today and so I checked my email - thank you!
I am loving Yoga by the way - it has increased my flexibility loads and I feel better about myself! Thanks!
Your yoga class is fantastic. I have been looking for something holistic for years. Most seem scared of the spiritual side but it's just what I need. Thanx
You won't be surprised at all to know that I have been unconsciously practising my balance. I found myself doing the washing up the other day with my left foot balanced on my right leg just below the knee! And my daughter says it has really had a positive effect on her posture.
hi chinmayi, just to let you know 6.30 yoga session was fab, I really enjoyed myself, feels good to be learning something new! see you next week, love b
"the atmosphere was brilliant and I gained confidence, energy and relaxation"
"as a beginner I was put at ease and found the instruction easy to follow"
"the whole day was wondefully organised and interesting"
"I had an introduction to many practices I had not discovered before. Please keep me updated!"
"The day more than met my expectations, the atmosphere was so positive"
"The venue was beautiful and the food lovely - great to try new things. The energy was relaxed and calm, just what I needed"
" I got a sense that that I can actually DO yoga! I felt very at home and comfortable"
feedback from weekly class students...
"From my perspective, the classes are absolutely fantastic. They keep me going through the week, and give me something to look forward to in a world of stresses! They make me feel good about myself, and give me 90 minutes of peace from the ever-angry inner monologue inside my mind. Finally, I have found something that makes me feel alive in both body and mind, and it has shown me positive aspects of my body that I never knew were there - i've got muscles in places where I didn't even know I had places! I love it!
I feel that even on days when I don't want to go, I go anyway, knowing that when I come home, I will ALWAYS feel better, regardless of the situation in my head. It provides balance in my life, and often when I am in a stressful situation, I find myself practising yoga! Whether it be a breathing exercise, or pulling aside to do a quick sun salutation while on a walk, or even holding a balance while brushing my teeth! It makes me feel whole, and I can't believe I have gone 16 years without it. Its like a massage every Monday, but this massage tones me up and makes me feel strong both physically and mentally.
Words cannot express how much love I feel for Yoga, and although I have not been attending classes for very long, I feel that it will definitely be a permanent part of my life from here on in. If anything, it makes me fit the wonderful cliche of "Blonde Vegetarian Yogi Who Drinks Herbal Tea Goes Walking In Forests And Enjoys Tofu", and of corse, there are worse cliches to have!
I feel like I should, and definitely could, write essays on why I love yoga so much, and why I am so happy and thankful for your teaching - you bring such life and passion into the classes, that I feel compelled to do my best, yet equally, I do not feel so perfectionist as to want to be perfect. Your teaching has made me feel that it is okay to do what I can, and not be hard on myself, for whatever I can do is good enough. I am as I am, and that is fine! It has taken me a long time to come to that conclusion, and without your teaching I am sure that it would have taken longer. It shuts up the perfectionist, mathematical voice that screams "YOU MUST BURN OFF 314 CALORIES", and allows me to just think of how good my body is feeling that day. It is truly liberating." MC
"Having a theme to the class is a great idea as it keeps the classes interesting. I find the mantras and chants very relaxing and they focus the mind."
"The standard of teaching is excellent with a great explanation of the poses and alternatives always given."
"The theme helps to realise and focus on how yoga can help me"
"I find many of the poses challenging but can sometimes do more than I think I can. Explanation is good. Always feel safe as I know the supervision is so good"
"Thank you so much for Wednesday, it was fabulous. The asanas were at times a little challenging for me, (which was good!) and the resulting meditation was wonderful - I didn't want to come back from it!.
The food was lovely, and very welcome.
I particularly liked your emphasis on smiling, as I also believe that yoga
should be a thing of joy, and quite often can't stop grinning anyway!
Luckily I practice with a smiley Kailash!
My sofa-bound husband has also been smiling a lot - at watching my pathetic attempts at the Crow!
Have just enjoyed my home practice indoors,as the weather outside is pretty damp.
No doubt we'll meet again, and I wish you every success with your
business/lifestyle." - JL
"I enjoy the breathing exercises...helps clear the mind to relax"
"Great stretching exercises and postures help to strengthen the muscles which add to, and compliment, the typical gym workout......certainly provides a relaxation in the body and mind not achieved through pure physical gym work" - PB
"I have been attending yoga classes with Julie for about 3 years now and the improvements in so many areas have been wonderful.
I originally went to the classes to lose weight, but the benefits have extended to greater mobility and body movement (my lower back had been very stiff). I seem a much calmer person and also I think due to meditation my concentration has become more pronounced
I have also enjoyed treatments and various massages which have helped my body recuperate.
Thank you Chinmayi" - LB
".....your hips, shoulders and spine were extremely flexible and mobile, a real credit to your yoga teacher!" Dr D Hoffler, BUPA Wellness Centre....report given to a 52-year old student at his health assessment.
"I think you're a very accomplished teacher - you made everyone feel welcome and you made a lovely atmosphere. I think the class was well suited to the students, which is not just important but also hard to do. You have a lovely tone of voice and an ability to communicate well with your students. Your understanding + knowledge of Yoga were very clear from the outset. You also came across as very human, which people really like."
"The heart-centered yoga practice on Monday was an inspiration! I'm still a bit spaced out from it all!"
"Your standard of teaching is excellent, Julie you are a wonderful teacher"
"The atmosphere and environment is good in every way"
"I love having a theme, it sets the energy and scene for the class"
" I find the chants and mantra relaxing, it takes you out of yourself"
"Seated meditation takes me to another place, a very relaxing one"
"The standard of teaching is superb, well articulated, spends time with us all and individually"
"Chanting creates great energy"
feedback from yoga students 2009/10
"more of the same, I really enjoy the class and feel that I am already feeling the benefits"
"the atmosphere is a sacred space, wonderful, peaceful"
"ta very much - can't get enough"
"lovely atmosphere dedicated to the spiritual practice of yoga"
"julie's teaching style is excellent - everything is explained clearly, not only what is required for the pose but also the benefits the poses give"
"I feel that I have really benefitted from a change of teacher. I really like the OM chanting"
"I thoroughly enjoy every lesson and look forward to the the next one"
"Julie is an inspirational yoga teacher"
"Julie has a natural teaching flow that generates a positive understanding and benefit to all taking the class. Very informative and good anatomy and physiology background"
"the instructor provides a pleasant informal approach which was useful to the beginners present in the workshop"
"I enjoyed the time allowed in the workshop which built upon learnings in shorter weekly sessions"
"Julie is very encouraging, calm and helpful. A thoroughly enjoyable day"
"an excellent introduction to yoga. Very informative and easy to understand"
feedback from yoga students 2007/8
"consistent excellent standard, thoroughly enjoyable. Good, calm, clear instructions"
"excellent flexibility - If you miss 1 session, you can do extra ones or just miss a week"
"great relaxation/exercise after a day of stress at work and an ideal compliment to gym routines. Looking forward to continuing and learning further"
"I have attended yoga classes for many years now and had various teachers. She has a very refreshing way of approaching yoga practice. I highly recommend her classes"
"my preference is for more eastern spiritual light. This is a great balance between western and eastern. Crystals and candles very much appreciated"
"the option of purchasing 10 classes is fantastic - makes you commit as well as being more affordable"
"Brill! Brill! Brill!"
"I really like the sounds around the room because it makes me feel as though I am in a sort of bubble away from the outside world"
"really have enjoyed your illustration and patience and calm attitude"
"very informative"
"class went very quickly"
"these weeks have been great!"
"very reasonable - a great day for me personally"
feedback from holistic therapy clients
"again felt very relaxed. I am finding the oils are helping my psoriasis"
"plenty of TLC making me feel very relaxed and comfortable"
"It was a really good treatment and my skin is much better, definitely not as itchy"
"was a little bit tense to start but relaxed throughout, back felt easier after"
"last weeks session had some very positive effects - back discomfort eased and I had a feeling of alertness for 2-3 days after the treatment too. Another very realxing and luxurious session today"
"reduced muscle tension and a general feeling of well-being"
"the treatment was extremely calming. I enjoyed it a lot"
"It was a good firm treatment. I had a lot of tension in my back so it was nice as it was so firm. Very calming and chilling"
"my nose feels a lot less blocked and I don't feel so stressed from my hayfever"
"very reassuring, attentive, professional and above all, relaxing"
"after my first treatment, my general health has improved. Today, slowing my breathing down and tuning in has been great"
"excellent results today - very relaxing and refreshing. As recommended I used a cold compress on my swollen ankles, during the week and the oils have definitely helped"
"treatment was different this time. Still very relaxing but at the end of the treatment felt very positive and uplifted. Wow!"
"I thought that the massage as carried out with just the right amount of pressure being applied. I felt very relaxed and also rejuvenated"
"I was feeling quite stressed before the massage but afterwards had a great sense of well-being"